The European Commission distinguishes the partnership agreement, which remains in existence, from the protocol setting fishing opportunities and financial contributions. Without an active protocol, EU vessels cannot fish under that framework.
The expiry also concerns activities in waters adjacent to the Moroccan Sahara, central to the European litigation. RTVE describes consequences for Spanish fishers. The 2023 expiry is distinct from the 2024 rulings: the end of a contractual term must not be presented as a court judgment delivered that day.